A Heart's Bitterness — page 150: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ey / ~The night of Violet’s ball was a marked occasion. No expense had been spared to make.it a scene of unmatch- able splendor., Lord Leigh had opened the ball with Vio- let, and had secured Edna for the second dance. She had been unable to refuse him a waltz, but just as they were taking their place on the floor, Edna’s hand on his shoulder, his arm clasped about her lovely waist, some one touched his hand, and gave him atelegram. It was from ; his steward at the Towers. ‘Wilcox has disappeared. They mean to drag the Black Pool for him to-morrow.” The room whirled about him. ‘The floor seemed to open at his feet. He saw,’as in a vision, a horrible disfigured, ghastly face lying on the bottom of the Black Pool, and what damnatory evidence might not be in the papers clutched in the dead hand—possibly decipherable still? ‘Lord Leigh, you are ill. You have news, let me re- lease you,” said Edna. ‘‘} must go te the Towers,” he gasped. Without a word, steadying him as she seemed to lean on his arm, she led him from the ball-room to the libary and rang the bell for Adam. ‘Then she gave him a glass of wine. “Adam, get my cloak, and follow me—we must go to the _ ‘Towers,” said Leigh, when his old valet entered. CHAPTER XXXVI. ‘“MEET ME, OR I WILL RUIN You!” Lord Leigh could hardly have told why he had summoned Adam to go with him on that terrible night journey. He scarcely could have told why he went at all. It was gray morning when they arrived at the Towers, and roused the slumbering household. ‘*’l’here was no need to have you come, my lord,” said the steward. <‘It was only a matter of dragging the — Pool, and I thought you should know. You are particular | as to such things. Wilxcox disappeared, and his mother will have it he’s drowned in the Pool. ss: | ‘I will go and superintend it,” said Lord Leigh, coldly. . at ar ; . pe hs Fe ey | P - i . . . 7a » bP | 2 ; nf 5 P "tala a C: ae - Y ° . + e " j= ere ites sk ; iB paar E ‘ = ° ~ 142 A HEARTS BITTERNESS. m